I'm on vacation...
Be back in a week or so...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Maybe the coolest thing I've ever done...
This past weekend was one of the best weekends I've ever spent anywhere.
This past weekend I was a one volunteer of many at the Ohio Special Olympics 2007 Summer Games at Jesse Owens Stadium at OSU. I have never seen and heard so much joy in one place. From the opening ceremony to the final medal ceremony, it...was...amazing. Friends, never EVER pass up an opportunity to help out there. I could tell stories for days of all the experiences that I had.
Here's the thing.
The whole weekend had very little to do with my experiences. It was all about the athletes.
I am honored they shared their weekend with me.
I've never had so much fun not caring a thing about myself. It was our job to cheer, hug, line up...emotions in the raw.
I wish the real world was a real as the folks I met this weekend. We're the guarded ones; I think it's the reason that people are uncomfortable with folks with special needs. They're more real that we are capable of being.
And they can't help it...
...and after this weekend...
...I'm glad...
de-frickin'-licious
I am in love with grapefruit...
I never thought I'd come around to it. But I did. We've been eating lots of organics lately, and they've been most yummy.
My favorite of all the organics is the grapefruit.
Any other faves among you?
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Closed (for now)
Although I've never seen the documentary, the Christian camp featured in the movie Jesus Camp is 'closing for the next several years.' Apparently the camp's director feels as though they're 'just not a safe ministry anyomre.'
Really?
Probably debatable as to if it ever was...
Read the entire article here.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Filmmaker Brian Grazer is planning a romantic comedy that depicts Jesus as an IKEA employee. In the movie, a harried single woman falls for the Son of Man who works as a carpenter for the popular furniture store. Grazer has assured that the film will not tarnish Jesus' image but will instead be a tale of unrequited love. The movie also further proves that IKEA is truly a Godsend.
--Relevant Leader, winter 2007
Chivalry isn't dead...
though it damn near killed me.
So, I'm at the gas station the other day. After filling up a person, female, about my age walks over.
"Can you do me favor?" she says.
"I can try, though I can't make any promises."
"There is a huge-ass moth in my car. I've never seen one like it, and it's stuck in my back window. Can you get it out?"
At this point I'm thinking, 'sure moths are big, but how big is huge-ass in this particular case.' So I mozy over. Nonchalantly, exuding proper amounts of confidence as to put this female counterpart at ease.
Then I see it.
OUTSIDE: "Wow, that is a big moth. I've not seen one that big before either."
INSIDE: "Holy S--T!!
So, I urge her to pull her car out of the sun, as the moth is trying to fly to the light. She can't be convinced, so against my better judgment, I pull the car forward. We wait to see if said moth will fly out. And, nope it doesn't.
OUTSIDE: Well, maybe I can pull it out with my hat.
INSIDE: Is this really happening?
I reach in with the hat and in two swoops catch the thing and flop it outside the car. Then it happened...
The thing attacked me with it's wings of fury. It was all over my face and head, and I squealed. I could feel my heart rate shoot through the roof. And when the thing finally figured out it was free and flew away, My entire body was shaking.
OUTSIDE: Well, there you go?
INSIDE: Please don't notice that I"m shaking like a leaf, and I'd give you twenty bucks to make sure you don't tell your friends that some brave, albeit, wussy shrieking guy helped you out at the gas station this morning.
It was awesome...
So, I'm at the gas station the other day. After filling up a person, female, about my age walks over.
"Can you do me favor?" she says.
"I can try, though I can't make any promises."
"There is a huge-ass moth in my car. I've never seen one like it, and it's stuck in my back window. Can you get it out?"
At this point I'm thinking, 'sure moths are big, but how big is huge-ass in this particular case.' So I mozy over. Nonchalantly, exuding proper amounts of confidence as to put this female counterpart at ease.
Then I see it.
OUTSIDE: "Wow, that is a big moth. I've not seen one that big before either."
INSIDE: "Holy S--T!!
So, I urge her to pull her car out of the sun, as the moth is trying to fly to the light. She can't be convinced, so against my better judgment, I pull the car forward. We wait to see if said moth will fly out. And, nope it doesn't.
OUTSIDE: Well, maybe I can pull it out with my hat.
INSIDE: Is this really happening?
I reach in with the hat and in two swoops catch the thing and flop it outside the car. Then it happened...
The thing attacked me with it's wings of fury. It was all over my face and head, and I squealed. I could feel my heart rate shoot through the roof. And when the thing finally figured out it was free and flew away, My entire body was shaking.
OUTSIDE: Well, there you go?
INSIDE: Please don't notice that I"m shaking like a leaf, and I'd give you twenty bucks to make sure you don't tell your friends that some brave, albeit, wussy shrieking guy helped you out at the gas station this morning.
It was awesome...
Friday, June 08, 2007
In a follow up...
...a question...
Where is the line between personal responsibility to gather information and an organization's or a business' responsibility to share it?
That has turned into the fundamental question of this whole IWT issue, but more than that, isn't this a bigger issue than just the one in town right now? From food to television shows to music to whatever. It seems as though there is a line and the folks on either side of it wishes that the other would do a little more on their part.
An organization or business is likely to say something like, "Well, there's a website and if someone really wants to find out about __________________, they can. We've got nothing to hide." And on the other side, folks say that if there's nothing to hide, then why does it seem so, well, hidden?
Personally, I've got my own thoughts. If you're one saying the 'there's a website' bit, then it's likely that you're not giving enough information for people to NOT feel like they're being intentionally duped. Whether one is trying or not trying to be deceptive, if folks feel deceived that's a problem.
At the same time, people need to stop passing the buck. Acknowledge when you DON'T do enough to find out information, and quit blaming others for you not knowing something. Then resolve to get a little more involved and pro-active in the world around you. Don't get all mad that you 'didn't' know when there were opportunities for you to know.
Have an opinion? I'd love to hear it...
Monday, June 04, 2007
IWT
For those of you familiar with Impact World Tour there has been quite a wake in it's leaving. Apparently, a few hundred kids either became Christians for the first time or re-committed their lives to Jesus.
Many folks here in town have also felt a little duped by the lack of info that people were given heading into the events. Many have vocalized some frustration (most of it very fair albeit not so nice) regarding IWT's willingness to be upfront in publicizing what reallywas to happen at the events. The IWT folks spent time a local schools giving a 'positive' message passing out invitations to the full event.
Honestly, it was a little deceptive. They didn't lie per se, but they really weren't all that up front either which always feels a little shady.
Read the Courier's article here.
And here's IWT's response from the local chairperson.
Dearly beloved,
By now you have read the article in the Courier concerning the Findlay City School Board reaction to the IWT tickets that were passed out during some school assemblies. Pastor Bill, Scott and I have had a lengthy conversation with Nicole Coleman who was responsible for arranging the local school assemblies. Nicole spoke with Findlay City Schools public relations officer Jen Ruhe this morning. It is our assessment that this is a valid concern but not because anyone did anything wrong.
As week six of the tour, we had no indication from the previous city assemblies that promotional ticket flyers would be a problem. However, there was a problem with handing the tickets to each student and with passing the tickets out in the classrooms. We agree that this put the School Board in a tenuous situation by implying that the school was endorsing the events at Koehlor center.
We understand the school board’s reluctance to be perceived as endorsing an evangelistic crusade. If they were to endorse our event, they could also be obliged to endorse events that would be contrary to our Christian faith. We are blessed by the strong relationship between the faith community in Findlay and Findlay City Schools. However, these events have brought a need for policy clarification to the surface. We are offering to serve the school board to seek a mutually satisfying principle that protects our children and allows us to continue our ongoing cooperative relationships within the public schools.
We should all agree that protecting our children is a worthy objective. These are complex times we live in. The school board is not diminishing the healthy values that our Christian faith promote. They are not trying to remove our influence from the schools. It doesn’t seem that there is any other agenda than addressing a line of safety that was unintentionally crossed. We strongly urge you to refrain from polarizing statements that would create enmity between those who serve our schools and the faith community of Findlay . We recommend that you do not write your opinions to the Courier. This would only escalate differences in community convictions and intensify the situation.
Finally, we are in the process of setting up meeting with Marty Emmett and Al Caperna. We feel blessed to have worked with an organization that has such a heart for youth. Our experiences with this tour have been faith inspiring but also sometimes confusing. As in all efforts to serve the Kingdom, communication and intentions sometimes conflict. Our prayer is that God will continue to fill the gaps of our limitations with His grace and that His Spirit will strengthen us to proclaim the love of Christ to a broken and hurting world.
Wanna chime in? Go right ahead...
Many folks here in town have also felt a little duped by the lack of info that people were given heading into the events. Many have vocalized some frustration (most of it very fair albeit not so nice) regarding IWT's willingness to be upfront in publicizing what reallywas to happen at the events. The IWT folks spent time a local schools giving a 'positive' message passing out invitations to the full event.
Honestly, it was a little deceptive. They didn't lie per se, but they really weren't all that up front either which always feels a little shady.
Read the Courier's article here.
And here's IWT's response from the local chairperson.
Dearly beloved,
By now you have read the article in the Courier concerning the Findlay City School Board reaction to the IWT tickets that were passed out during some school assemblies. Pastor Bill, Scott and I have had a lengthy conversation with Nicole Coleman who was responsible for arranging the local school assemblies. Nicole spoke with Findlay City Schools public relations officer Jen Ruhe this morning. It is our assessment that this is a valid concern but not because anyone did anything wrong.
As week six of the tour, we had no indication from the previous city assemblies that promotional ticket flyers would be a problem. However, there was a problem with handing the tickets to each student and with passing the tickets out in the classrooms. We agree that this put the School Board in a tenuous situation by implying that the school was endorsing the events at Koehlor center.
We understand the school board’s reluctance to be perceived as endorsing an evangelistic crusade. If they were to endorse our event, they could also be obliged to endorse events that would be contrary to our Christian faith. We are blessed by the strong relationship between the faith community in Findlay and Findlay City Schools. However, these events have brought a need for policy clarification to the surface. We are offering to serve the school board to seek a mutually satisfying principle that protects our children and allows us to continue our ongoing cooperative relationships within the public schools.
We should all agree that protecting our children is a worthy objective. These are complex times we live in. The school board is not diminishing the healthy values that our Christian faith promote. They are not trying to remove our influence from the schools. It doesn’t seem that there is any other agenda than addressing a line of safety that was unintentionally crossed. We strongly urge you to refrain from polarizing statements that would create enmity between those who serve our schools and the faith community of Findlay . We recommend that you do not write your opinions to the Courier. This would only escalate differences in community convictions and intensify the situation.
Finally, we are in the process of setting up meeting with Marty Emmett and Al Caperna. We feel blessed to have worked with an organization that has such a heart for youth. Our experiences with this tour have been faith inspiring but also sometimes confusing. As in all efforts to serve the Kingdom, communication and intentions sometimes conflict. Our prayer is that God will continue to fill the gaps of our limitations with His grace and that His Spirit will strengthen us to proclaim the love of Christ to a broken and hurting world.
Wanna chime in? Go right ahead...
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